Lodestar Chapter 7
Chapter Seven It was Christmas Eve and everyone in Lodestar had turned out for the community Christmas celebration. Everyone of whatever Religious denomination all got together to celebrate the Christmas season. Father Christopher Langlas, the priest at St. Agnes, along with Reverend Lamb from the Baptist Church; Reverend Morrison from the United Methodist Church and Reverend Ashlee Jamison of the new United Church of Christ all got together and had an ecumenical service, which was an all-inclusive service for everyone. However, Alzada Castro and Virgil Roberts, who, for some odd reason, managed to get out of prison, were not happy. They slithered outside of the Lodestar civic auditorium. "This is an insult to me," Virgil said coldly, "those bastards have no right to be happy! Locking me, the wonderful Virgil, in Huntsville, all because I just wanted to have a good time with Jasmine Briscoe." It was patently clear that Virgil never DID know how to keep his mouth shut! Alzada glared at him, "You did WHAT?!" she spat. Virgil gloated, "Yeah, I raped Jasmine Briscoe and harassed her to suicide," he bragged, "but all the while I was banging her, I was thinking of you!" Alzada slapped him in the face. "You ridiculous lout," she screamed, "You just never know when to shut up! So it's true! You DID rape that poor dear girl! Truett was right about you all the time! You really ARE a disgusting piece of vermin! There is no way in HELL I am ever going to marry you now!" Virgil glared at her, "Oh, you're gonna marry me, Alzada Castro," he threatened, "because that is MY child, and I am NOT gonna let YOU keep that child." Alzada was furious, "Oh, you think so?" she spat, "if you even go ANYWHERE near me, I will have you clapped behind bars for good! Right now, I am going to tell the cops ALL!" Virgil pulled his gun. "Oh, no you ain't, bitch!" he spat and shot Alzada in cold blood! He murdered her and the child in glee! Everyone took off after Virgil who was howling in glee. Virgil grabbed Albert Dawson who had just come out, and held a knife against him. Everyone was very furious about that! "Let go of him," Florence Hartley screamed. "You release him at once," Eric Hutchinson said angrily defending his adopted relative, "or you will be arrested!" Virgil laughed, "Hell I will," he screamed, "either you give me what I want, or I kill this bastard, but not after I beat and rape the shit out of him with a baseball bat!" Albert, not surprisingly, shut down immediately at the immediate uttering of the term "baseball bat", which was the worst trigger that he could have used. Virgil gloated, "I still rule this roost," he crowed, "I am Virgil Roberts! I am better than anyone else in this damned town!" Meanwhile, Billy Bob Lipscomb, Chad Hutchinson and Del Ray Collingsworth body tackled Virgil, knocking him down and out cold. All three of them had been stars of the football team. Chad immediately ran to Albert and was worried. He had Albert's blanket with him and immediately put it on him. Albert felt the familiar blanket, and Billy Bob gently helped him up. For all his intimidating factor, Billy Bob was really a gentle giant. He actually really cared for Albert, and even though he had been allied with Virgil, he did not approve of his beating up Albert. "Y' all right, pal?" Billy Bob asked. Albert nodded, "Yeah," he said quietly, "thanks, Billy Bob." The police arrived and arrested Virgil swiftly. Chad pressed charges immediately for Virgil murdering Alzada. Virgil was swiftly removed, yelling and screaming. Cyndi Potter glared at Virgil, "I hope you rot in hell for this," she spat. Virgil gave her the finger. Everett Hale helped Albert get to his feet and got him to Chad, who held him very close, protecting him. Chad glared at Virgil who smirked at him. "You're finished," Chad said coldly, "you'll never see the light of day again!" Virgil sneered, "We'll see about that, Hutchinson!" he snapped. "You're going to get Death Penalty for sure," Kevin Childress seethed. "You've gone too far this time," Jonathan Hale spat, "picking on Albert Dawson the way you do, Virgil! You're destroyed!" The cops pulled out and Virgil was still thrashing around. Chad brought Albert back to their home and got him settled into bed. He hugged Albert close, "I am sorry, babe," he said softly, "that wasn't the Christmas Eve I wanted to give you. You didn't need to see those idiots again, and then he goes and murders her! Are you all right?" "I'm fine now, Chad," Albert said, "I'm not going to let it get to me. You and the others were there and that is what matters to me." Chad caressed Albert's head, "I do love you, Albert Dawson," he said softly. "And I love you, Chad Hutchinson," he said, "and this Christmas Eve wasn't so bad. It was actually quite exciting. I have you and the others. That's plenty wonderful." It was an eventful Christmas Eve! And it would get even MORE eventful! Meanwhile, in Abilene, some 75 miles from Lodestar, a tall dark haired woman was exiting the gate from the end of her flight. She had flown in from Manchester, England, and through a few connections in New York, and Dallas, landed in Abilene. A wicked smile spread across her face, it looks like she was on a mission. But who is this woman and what was she doing in Texas, of all places?! Milo Roberts, Virgil's younger brother, met the woman. "Well," he said, "you're everything Virgil said you are. And more than that." "Thank you," the woman preened, "I should hope so, leaving my home to come to this barren wasteland." Milo stiffened at the slam towards his home, but he wasn't overtly annoyed. He smiled politely, "I'm Milo Roberts, and you are?" he asked. "My name is Tracy Barlow," she said, "Your father, Wendell, had me come." "How do you know my family?" Milo asked, it was clear he was smelling a rat. Milo may have been from one of the worst families in Lodestar, but even HE knew a rat when he smelled one. "What business is it of yours?" Tracy scoffed, "I am here, at the bequest of your father to help your brother, Virgil." Milo rolled his eyes, for THIS creature, he gave up a date with Sheila Hall to pick her up from Abilene. "Look, we've not got time to argue," he said, "get in my truck, it's outside. Did you bring luggage?" "Yes, I did," Tracy said, as they went to the baggage claim area, where almost fifteen bags were coming on the carousel. "What the HELL?!" he squawked, "you brought enough clothes for several months, not a few days!" Tracy looked innocent, "Did I?' she cooed, "Oh, I should have thought more about it, when Wendell said that it was time for me to come, I just packed everything!" Milo sighed, this creature was enough to drive him crazy. "I thought you said you had a kid," he said, "did she even come?" Tracy again looked innocent, "Ah, no," she said, "I arranged for her to remain in Manchester with her family!" What Tracy meant was that she didn't want her own daughter to cramp her style while she was in Lodestar, so she made sure Amy was palmed off on her father and grandfather. True, Steve and Ken berated her mercilessly for simply walking out of Amy's life, but she didn't care. Amy gained a new mother figure in Rita Sullivan, who delighted in taking care of her, and working hard to undo the damage that Tracy had wrought on her. Milo pulled into the driveway of a bungalow located on the west end of Lodestar. "Well, Tracy," he said, "this is home." "Yeah," Tracy looked sickened, "Ain't it?" Wendall Roberts came out, he was an older and far meaner version of Virgil. He lacked even the basic restraint that Virgil even pretended to have. "Ya made it, l'il lady!" he boomed, "Glad to have ya. I am Wendell Roberts!" Tracy smiled a sick smile as she shook the man's grubby paw, "I'm Tracy Barlow," she said. To herself, she muttered, What in the HELL am I doing here?! For THIS idiot, I left Manchester and left Amy for THIS?! However, she smiled a bright smile, "I am sure I will like it, Mr. Roberts," she said. "Call me Wendell," he boomed again, "it'll be nice to have a woman around the house again! Since my wife left me, and Virgil got himself locked up, it's just me!" Milo burned in rage, his father could be SUCH an impossible man. Milo wasn't anywhere NEAR like his Neanderthal father and brother. He left the house himself when his mother left, and he still lives with her. The next day was Christmas, and everyone was in a festive mood. Even Tracy had to admit the town looked rather quaint. She looked at the Square, with all the stores on each side. She saw Wheeler's Pharmacy; Ansley's Appliances; the Lodestar Spectrum; Lodestar Bank and Trust, Parmer Oil Company; Roberts' Feed and Grain (which that vermin Wendell owned); and various other businesses. She walked down West Austin, and she saw Chad Hutchinson walking along with his ward, Albert Dawson, next to him. The two had a wonderful Christmas dinner with his parents, Eric and Felicia, and also there was Jennifer and Drew. While they were walking, Chad was holding Albert close as he wrapped his comfort blanket around him. "My, my, isn't this lovely?" Tracy crowed. "A charming bit of love, eh?" Chad looked through her, "Who are you?" he asked, his blue eyes colder than ice. "I am a friend of Virgil Roberts," Tracy smiled, "Tracy Barlow." "Charmed," Chad said acidly, "now beat it! I have no interest in you! You're friendly with Virgil Roberts, you sure as hell ain't no friend of mine!" Tracy smiled her sticky smile, "Good!" she said saucily, "I have no liking for you." Albert turned a dark eyed glare on the interloper, "You're a wretch, and I was told never to speak to strangers, especially someone like you! Now, if you don't mind, lady," he said coldly, "me and my best friend are having some alone time, the operative word being ALONE! Now, get out of here, and leave us alone, get me?!" Chad grinned proudly, it was very rare when the shy violet Albert got mad at someone but when he did, even the indomitable Virgil took notice and backed down. It worked on Tracy as well, "Er, uh....well, I'll leave you to it, then," she mumbled, and skittered off. Chad wrapped his arms around Albert, "Good going, buddy," he said, "way to put her in her place." Albert smiled shyly, but he was very tired, it had been a very exhausting day, "Thanks, Chad, I am just worn," he said, "and I wasn't in any mood to deal with her blathering off! I am ready for bed." Chad nodded, pulling Albert close, "I hear ya, buddy," he said softly, "home we go. And your bed and your animals are waiting for you. Tomorrow, I am going to have someone come in and hang out with you, so you're safe when I am working." Tracy skittered back to the Courthouse Square. She definitely had her work cut out for her. She was in a town that she didn't know and the denizens didn't really like her. She left one hostile town, her own hometown, for this place, and it's as hostile to her as Weatherfield was. She wondered what she was doing. The next day, true to his word, Chad brought in a friend of his who was able to hang out with him as a live-in. Mike Potter was Cyndi's older brother, and had been living in Abilene finishing his schooling at McMurry University. He was abjectly liberal, which stunned his parents, but they still loved him. Cyndi thought the world of her brother, for he had come out as gay to his beloved sister. Mike was 6'4", very handsome, with blond hair and blue eyes, and a fashion sense that was equal to Chad's. He preferred dressing in suit and tie, as he worked at an insurance agency, but he was also very close to Albert too. Mike had never approved of Virgil's beating him up in school, only to turn around to get beaten nearly senseless by his own parents. In the den, Chad and Mike were smoking, and they were discussing how things would work. Mike was independently wealthy, having saved his salary from working insurance, and he could also work from the house. "You know Albert has his comfort things," Chad said, "his blanket and his favorite doll. Those are sacrosanct to him, ok?" Mike took a drag on his cigarette, "Yeah, I hear that," he said, "I like him, and I understand him. I think everyone in this town understands his situation, and those who don't, can all go and burn in hell, for all I care." "I agree," Chad said, "last night, Albert and I had to deal with that harridan, Tracy Barlow running around the courthouse square. Albie was able to tell her off, but I know she will cause trouble for him, and I don't want that bitch anywhere near him." "And she won't be," Mike said, "I've got Albie's back, and he won't be hurt." The two guys exited, and Albert went right to the two guys who loved him more than anything else. Chad wrapped him in his arms and held him close. Mike then took Albert close and caressed his head. It was clear that Chad wanted his ward to be happy. So did Mike. That night, the three guys watched a movie and Mike helped Albert get into bed. Mike had his own room right next to Albert's, while Chad's was on the other side. Chad put his arm around Mike. "I know you're gay, and I don't begrudge you that," he said, "but if you are remotely interested in Albie, just be careful. He's been through too much and he's very fragile. Just be careful." Mike nodded, "I do love him," he said, "and I will be careful. I know he's very fragile, and I will handle him with kid gloves." Chad nodded, "Good," he said, "that is what I want to hear." They went to their respective rooms, and knew that they had their Albert's best interests and protection in mind. Category:Lodestar Episodes